The key findings of the Impact Assessments
The key findings of the Impact Assessments
More accessible transport
An accessible transport system is important to people. This includes people with mobility problems like disabled people, older people and pregnant women or people with young children or pushchairs.
Making transport more accessible could make life easier by giving people more transport options.
Raising awareness of accessibility and supporting people will help to reduce inequalities.
Getting more people to use the Thistle Assistance card and supporting trains to reduce assistance booking times can give more travel opportunities.
Hate crime information will increase awareness and tell people how to report it. This could make life better by removing barriers to travel and making public transport safer.
Make bus travel free for people under 22 years of age. This will make life easier for young people. It would help them to access education and work.
Being active to travel
People from disadvantaged groups are more likely to walk or get the bus. Making the travel network better can help to make travel safer and easier. But we need to do this in a safe and reliable way.
Cycling and cycle lanes should be accessible for all. This includes adapted bikes. All roads and paths should fit the needs of people who choose to walk and cycle.
The Delivery Plan should have a positive impact on disabled people. It should help them access transport services easily and safely.
Less air pollution
Air pollution is when there are harmful substances in the air. Low Emission Zones can make air cleaner. This is important for people who are more at risk to bad health effects of air pollution.
Poorer areas are more likely to have high levels of air pollution and be near city centres. These are where Low Emission Zones will be. This will make life healthier for people living in these areas.
Some services might be worse off because of Low Emission Zones. Funding has been made available to help with this.
Switching to zero-emission vehicles can help make air cleaner. These are vehicles that do not pollute the environment. Not everyone can afford to change vehicles. This causes barriers and causes inequalities.
More electric charging stations would help more people to use electric vehicles. However, island communities may find this hard because of lack of electrical supply and the high costs.
Decarbonisation means using less carbon-based fuel and putting less harmful pollution into the air.
Supporting and investing in decarbonisation of bus, rail, ferry and air travel will be good for transport companies. However, it would cost a lot of money to change the system and keep it running.
Decarbonising will make life healthier for people who are vulnerable to vehicle emissions and air pollution. This includes children, older people, disabled people and pregnant women.
Poorer areas are more likely to have bad air pollution. It would be best to start decarbonisation in poorer areas with high air pollution.
A shift to goods lorries that are better for the environment would help to improve air quality. This may make things harder for lorry drivers.
Working from home or locally can be better for people who need flexible working. However working from home is more likely to suit people with office jobs. It does not always suit people in lower paid jobs.
New job and training opportunities
The Delivery Plan wants to make new employment and training opportunities. This may be in making zero-emission vehicles.
It also creates other job opportunities and makes travelling to and from Scotland easier. This would encourage more people to live, study, visit and invest in Scotland.
Good job opportunities should be available to those who need them most. This includes people on low incomes, protected characteristic groups, and people living in island communities.
If the new job opportunities are not available to these groups, then employment inequality could get worse.
Better access to healthcare
People who get regular medical care include older people, children, disabled people, pregnant women and people undergoing gender reassignment. These people are likely to benefit from better access to healthcare services.
Women who are carers with their own health needs are likely to benefit from better access to healthcare.
For those living in island communities, having health appointments by telephone, home services and help with travel expenses may help them get better access to healthcare services.
Better patient passenger services and online appointments would give better access to healthcare for some people. However this depends on being able to use the internet.
The Patient Travelling Expenses Scheme could give better access to healthcare for children whose parents get some benefits. This would be helpful for low-income families.
More transport options for island communities
Island communities can find it harder to use public transport. Better links to the internet could help them access services like employment, education and healthcare appointments.
Some island communities are so far away that buses and other travel services are harder to put in place.
Island and remote communities can have less access to public transport. Therefore free bus travel does not always help.
Travel costs and lack of transport services stop people accessing employment, education, and healthcare. Lower costs and giving more transport options can help to make life better.
Good ferry services will bring more job opportunities and may make island communities better. A more reliable ferry service would help. This would make communities more attractive as places to live, work and visit.
Island communities rely on farming, fishing, tourism and food and drink business. Ferry and road services are key to these industries.
Better road and rail services mean better access to the islands. A good road and rail service is more important for island businesses as goods and foods have longer to travel.
Dealing with climate change
Actions to deal with climate change helps keep transport services working. This is very important for coastal towns and island communities. Flooding of roads and landslides can cut off communities.
Island communities rely on air and ferry services to access key services.
Alternative fuels for ferries and planes could do more to fight climate change in island communities than other kinds of transport.
Island communities are at more risk from the seaside impacts of climate change. The impacts of climate change on the transport services may be harder because they rely on ferries and road services.
The Delivery Plan aims of dealing with climate change might help island communities more than mainland communities.
Supporting businesses and customers
Most of the actions in the Delivery Plan should make things better for customers and businesses. Better access to bus services gives more choice.
Some actions in the Delivery Plan have helped to keep services running during lockdown. This has helped to keep businesses running.
Actions to move goods lorries from road to the railway could have a bad effect on the road industry.
Major works will cause parts of the railway to be closed. This can cause disruption. More thought should be given to this.
The Delivery Plan includes actions to make it easier for people to live, study, visit and invest in Scotland.
This should make Scottish companies more attractive in the UK, Europe and the world.
Councils have a role to play. They are responsible for local roads. They will help with areas of the Delivery Plan. This includes active travel, speed limits, and bus services. This will cost councils money.
Most parts of the Delivery Plan will not need to involve public services. Those that will are the plans for airport and ferry services.
There is not much evidence on the impacts on businesses and customers that would be caused by the Delivery Plan. We will talk with businesses to help us to see these impacts.
